Private When Artists Meet Angels

[Lileas]

Lileas sat on the outskirts of the Epochan Assembly, within the guts of the city of Odessa. Despite all the murmurs of sound that surrounded her as folks walked by, she was devoted to a task unrelated to the politics that normally dominated the area. Her pen scribbled along the pages of the scrapbook she purchased from a nearby vendor, though unlike other artists practicing their work in urban spaces Lileas was not drawing the scenery around her. Every now and then a passerby would take a curious peek at what she was drawing, only to walk away a bit confused. She didn't blame them, she was illustrating a dream that came to her a night or two ago.

Lileas had been on a hill with violet flowers coloring the ground, a dying willow tree was the only other husk of life to be seen. She sat down, the wind was cold and stung her skin and buffeted against the tree. For a moment Lileas thought that if either her or the tree died, the other would soon follow. Though they shared no connections, Lileas rested on the trunk of the tree, both were afraid to be alone as their time ran out. It was like two soldiers who had never met comforting each other in their final moments before bleeding out. Death was eternal. No one wanted to be left in solitude when the end arrived.

But just before the wind could take them, an angel parted the clouds and provided the warmth to save them both.

And then Lileas woke up.

Most dreams were completely nonsensical, images that meant nothing and served as little more than a quick story to tell to a friend. This wasn't even the most absurd dream Lileas had ever had. But something about it seemed more significant than the others. Like she had been on that hill once before, long ago. So she drew the scene, hoping to unlock one of the innumerable memories that were lost to her. She drew herself huddled against the tree, whose shriveled branches wrapped around her to provide protection against the storm. She drew a beacon of light radiating through the clouds, the moment when a lost little girl met an angel.

When the illustration was finished, Lileas set her notebook down and took a deep breath, and frost followed close behind. It was a chilly evening, but not cold enough to be uncomfortable. At the nearby shop she had the choice of hot chocolate and cigarettes to warm her up, and as much as the rebellious part of her longed to try a puff of tobacco she took the healthier of the two approaches. She took a soft sip of her drink, the tingling burn on her lips was a welcome comfort.

Her reason for visiting Epoch was simple. Lileas wanted to see a friend she cared for. Auteme was the one who found her on Tyhpa-Dor, the one who introduced her to the Jedi and taught her fledgling Padawan Force powers. But the woman had always seemed busy, and now Auteme was the Senator of Epoch. Though their paths differed, Lileas would never forget what Auteme had done for her. So she had reached out to offer a brief meeting with her friend. An opportunity to catch up with one another.

Lileas took another sip of hot chocolate, the sugar, cool air, and excitement upon seeing a good friend made her shake on the bench she sat upon. She would understand if Auteme was preoccupied with something else. But Lileas still hoped that the two of them could share a peaceful evening together.

 

[Auteme]

Lileas ​

Auteme had never felt an instant connection with another person quite like she had with Lileas. Their meeting had been raw chance, but even after a short time she felt like she understood the girl. Something about the innocence, the presence; Auteme recognized parts of herself there, someone who she could help, who she could teach.

Their parting had given her a necessary lesson. No matter how similar they might be, their paths would still diverge. Auteme saw a chance to change the galaxy, to take a power unlike what most Jedi had, and she didn't want to drag Lileas along with her.

But the connection was still there. When Lileas had sent her the message, she was quick to clear the evening.

Still, she did arrive a touch late -- appropriately so. Her scheduled meetings were windows rather than specific times for her safety. But Lileas wasn't a lobbyist or administrator or official, so Auteme didn't make her wait long.

Her long beige coat made the cool evening bearable, and she'd woven herself a red scarf to go with it. Almost timidly, but not without purpose, she approached the table outside the cafe where Lileas sat.

"Hey, Lileas," she said, giving a half smile. She paused a moment, before pulling out the chair across from the girl and taking a seat.

"How are you? How are things?"

 

[Lileas]

"Auteme! Oh my goodness, I love your scarf." Lileas leapt from her chair and threw her body across the table, nearly tipping over her hot chocolate as she embraced her friend. Part of her did it because she wanted to, and part of her did it because she knew it might make the woman feel a bit awkward. She figured it was something a little sister would do. Lileas hugged Auteme for a moment, taking in her warmth, before quickly settling back into the wrought iron patio chair that decorated the outdoor café. She pushed her collection of scrapbooks aside, pages fluttering in the cool wind, held in place by the binding of the book cover. One moment the depiction of her dream was visible, and when the breeze blew the page turned to show a drawing of what she imagined her brothers, had they still lived, might have been like once they grew up. Her oldest brother would've been a scientist or scholar within any field he chose. His dark eyes would've unraveled any mystery the universe wondered about. The illustration of the middle brother was the closest a mortal being could come to heavenly. He was soft and kind, and wore clothing that was somehow fancy and simple at the same time. Lileas had not yet colored in his clothing, for there was no color that could depict the comfort he had brought to her.

Though she loved drawing her brothers, she felt as though she was drowning in sorrowful nostalgia when she looked at them. They would have been the best of the them all.

Right after her brothers was an incomplete picture of the mysterious man that she saw within the manor on Typha-Dor. The man had wished her well, before vanishing completely. Lileas depicted his long, scarlet hair in her drawing, but his face remained blank. She couldn't remember anything else other than his tender words and long hair.

After that was a picture of Auteme. Though Lileas had not seen her in some time and certain physical attributes might've faded from artistic memory, the woman's aura of kindness was clearly shown in the sketch. Her smile was as soft as snow dappled on a winter scarf, and her eyes glowed with the compassion and love of a mother tucking their child into bed.

Maybe I should draw all of us together, she thought. They would have liked her.

"I've been amazing," Lileas began excitedly. "I've been studying the history of the Jedi and some of the biographies of renowned Jedi Scholars and Masters. I've also been practicing speaking different languages known throughout Jedi and Galactic Alliance space in the event I'm dispatched to a planet that needs our help so I can communicate with them. I'm... happy. I was excited and scared when I left Typha-Dor, but I feel as though I have a purpose. One that I believe in."

"But... most of what I've described has been self-taught. I haven't found another teacher yet. And I don't know many other padawans that I can train with." She left the sad details unspoken. She didn't want Auteme to feel sorry for her, or even worse, think that Lileas' isolation was somehow her fault. Her days consisted of her waking up, studying in the library, and eating lunch and dinner somewhere by herself. Every now and then someone would strike up a casual conversation regarding what she was doing, but rarely anything more than that. "But I'm working on it! I'm sure that I'll find a Master I can torment real soon!"

"But enough of all that." She took a sip of her hot chocolate, letting the taste and homely scent warm her up as the breeze wistfully wandered by. "How have you been doing, Auteme?"

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Lileas ​

Auteme, of course, hugged back -- though was quick to catch the tipping mug on the table, so the hot chocolate didn't spill.

"Thanks," she replied to the initial compliment, but after that she was quiet, listening to Lileas's stories, and occasionally looking at the drawings she'd made. They were... revealing. A longing for some lost, obscured past colored her brothers. The red-haired man- well, Auteme still feared the worst. Even the drawing of Auteme herself tugged at her in that missing way.

"I'm alright," she said. She paused a moment, then continued, as though realizing that her answer wasn't sufficient. "It's- well, a big change from being a Jedi, but it's not so bad. I mean-" she gestured up at the palace that loomed in the distance- "I get to live there, so I can't complain."

She laughed.

"It's great to hear you're doing well. Languages are really important. It- well, it's important, so good for you. Older Jedi records... lots of insights there. Have you encountered Master Fay yet? She's one of my favorites. Actually," she said, rummaging around in her bag a moment before sighing, "I have a copy of The Jedi Path with notes in the margins by her. And some of my own, of course."

 

[Lileas]

Lileas listened to Auteme speak with the curiosity of a child when their teacher first told them of life beyond whatever rock they were born upon. It was a quaint relationship the two of them had. Auteme was a Jedi Knight and a Senator, most people would never meet someone with the influence and power she had. And yet several months ago Lileas didn't know what a Jedi or politician was. At times she felt like a ghost. She had been alive for nearly eighteen years, and yet she only remembered the first four or five years of her life, and the past four months. So much had happened during her lifespan, and she was little more than a specter for all of it.

We could have made it better.

She scratched the table for hardly more than a moment, knowing that her brothers would know what to do. Someone with shoulder-length red hair walked past their table, and Lileas stared at them as though they were family. And then her gaze was upon her scrapbooks. The faceless man on Tyhpa-Dor, her brother, the angel from her dream. Surely their similarities were all a coincidence?

And then the sound of Auteme's voice distracted her, drowning out her nostalgia. "You get to live there? You'll need to give me a tour one day, princess," she teased.

I used to live in a manor like that. In that dusty little pantry.

Moments later, her thoughts shifted yet again at the mention of Master Fay. "I'm familiar with her name," Lileas said. She held the frame of her chair and bounced it around the table with while she still sat upon it, until she was sat side by side with Auteme. "Though only through annotations and references made by other authors. She saved Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, didn't she? He's one of the better ones I've read about, I think. He wasn't perfect, but he was good. And sometimes decency is enough to save the galaxy."

Why are my arms burned pink? It was a cooking accident, wasn't it?

"What about her inspires you so much?" Lileas asked, sitting close to Auteme. "She must be special if you hold her in such high regard." She rubbed her hands together, letting the friction warm her up a bit. Her hot chocolate finished the job. She felt like a child again, sipping on a cozy drink while her elder sibling told her a bedtime story.

This is nice, she thought.

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Lileas
​

"Yeah, you're right, she did do that," she said. "And while I think Kenobi did end up having a big impact on the galaxy, the way Fay conducted herself...

"She had such a connection to the Force, such a virtuous and strong spirit, that the Force kept her alive for hundreds of years. She didn't waste it, either; she traveled the galaxy and saved lives, ended wars. Reading her notes -- I can feel this brilliance, this strength, this kindness shining through. It's inspiring, and something I think more Jedi should strive for."

There were many times when Auteme wished she could have that same strength. Her path was taking her elsewhere, but at least she could give Lileas one of the same role models.

"My book's on my shelf, I think, so I'll get it before you go- ah, are you staying long?"

 

[Lileas]

Lileas nodded her head as Auteme told Master Fay's story. To have that sort of dedication towards peace for so long, she must have had such a gentle heart. It was one thing to be good for one lifetime, knowing that when you eventually passed you would be leaving a better world behind for those who came after. But to face the horrors of war for hundreds of years, seeing the same cycles of violence over and over in an unending crescendo of bloodshed, only to still believe in the good nature of people was a testament to Fay's willpower. No matter what happened during her lifetime, Fay still saw something worth fighting for. Something worth saving.

A fat house cat that must have belonged to the owners of the café aimlessly weaved through the jungle of table and chair legs, searching for fallen food scraps or some animal-loving patron that might give them a bite to eat. Lileas arched down a little to pet the large tabby, whether the cat enjoyed the attention or only put up with it in hopes of receiving food she couldn't say. "History has no shortage of heroes, it seems. She sounds remarkable. When someone saves a single life, they're preserving an entire world of memories and experiences, of love and friendships. I can only imagine how many worlds Master Fay saved. How many families were eventually created because of her actions, how many parents got to see their children grow up because neither were sent to war. Jedi or not, it's a life worth emulating. No one's ever regretted being kind."

"And I've got no other plans I need to tend to. I'm sorta just training on my own until I can sucker some poor Master into teaching me, y'know? There's no one I need to report to. As long as I'm not intruding on your schedule, I've got all the time in the world."

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Lileas
​

The thought that she had a schedule that could be intruded upon terrified her. Of course, she didn't want to make Lileas leave, but she did have other things to do-

Yet, what reason could she possibly have for cutting this short?

"You're welcome to stay with me, if you'd like, and- my door is always open to you." Admittedly her place felt empty most days. She paused a moment, then laughed. "The New Jedi Order still aren't orderly enough, I guess," she laughed, "if no one's gonna call you to check when you're gone.

"I probably should've introduced you to more people. It's... late, but I do know someone who I think could teach you a few things. My friend, Aeris -- the Circle member, I'm sure you've seen her in the archives at some point. She's great, I'd be happy to introduce you two."

 

[Lileas]

Once it was clear that Lileas had no food to offer, the cat wandered away in search of a fresh face to guilt into feeding it. She wondered how long the thing would stay outside, as the sun fell below the horizon it would become so awfully cold. Hopefully it would be warm enough in whatever home the café owners provided for it. Though she couldn't remember whether or not she had ever lived without a roof over her head, she Lileas remembered how cold her home on Myrkr was. Little more than a wooden shack on unstable foundations, with plumbing that hardly worked and windows that creaked after the slightest gusts of wind. Only the warmth of her siblings as they all cradled together kept her alive during those frigid nights.

"Sounds like fun," Lileas said softly. For just a moment, her memory once more wandered back to Myrkr, which was becoming all the more common recently. If her family had survived, would they have ever made it off that miserable swamp? She had always imagined she and her siblings all going to school together, but in reality it was more likely one or all of them would have resorted to crime in order to survive. Life there was much too terrible for one to ever dream too big. Reality often had the cruelest ways of humbling people. But was this a life they could have lived together? Grabbing dinner with friends and crashing on their couch if they lost track of time?

Stop living in the past. What's done is done. They would want you to move on. They would want you to be happy.

"As long as it's no trouble for you, I wouldn't mind spending the night." Lileas eagerly packed her journals and scrapbooks in her little brown knapsack, caffeine giving her a small boost of energy. She almost suggested going out for drinks a bit harder than hot chocolate, but Auteme was a Senator and Jedi Knight so a night out on the town might not create the best image. But the circumstances in which they were together didn't matter. Only the company was important. Lileas was just happy to be with her friend. "And I've read Aeris' name a handful of times. An introduction could be nice."

 

[Auteme]

Lileas
​

"For sure, then, you can stay the night- or however long." It'd be nice to have visitors over. Of course, she'd need to clear a few things -- senatorial safety -- but she wasn't worried Lileas was going to accidentally do some espionage on her.

While her mind went on a tangent about how having amnesia was a great way to plant a sleeper agent, she continued. "You know what- let's go. I haven't had a chance to do, like, a nice tour of my place for anyone. Seriously, it's way too big for me alone."

She got up, glancing at the cafe a moment, before deciding she could make some tea once they were back. "Anyways- tell me a little more about what you've been learning. What's the most interesting thing you've come across. OH! Speak in one of the languages you're learning. I'm multilingual- uh, but I'll tell you if I don't speak."